Lune Crackham
Lune Crackham is the acting commander of The Crescent Elites. He is thought to be a good commander and nearly everyone in his regiment consider him as their role model. Not known for his patience, he always is the first to lose himself and jump into the heart of the enemy. However, even though impatient, he never succumbs to blind rage in any situation and he even sometimes joke to bolster the morale of his regiment in dire situations. Even though he commands a lightly armored, extremely mobile unit, he and his regiment can turn into immovable soldiers when asked to hold a position. His fighting skills are also unmatched in battle. Although he loves using guns, his skill in close combat is impressive enough to call it painful for the enemy. Biography Family Lune Crackham has three known relatives: His father, mother and sister. His mother was a Terran working with an unknown Rogue Trader who had left her at Holy Terra to advance his gains in an unknown way when she died. His father was a Sergeant Major in the Cadian Shock Troopers regiment. His mother and father met on Cadia when the Rouge Trader landed on the planet to assist the Imperial Guard stationed there against a Chaos Cult. The war progressed as the two started to notice each other. 15 years after the war had started, the two got married. The war ended two years after that and the Rogue Trader departed Cadia. Lune's father stayed behind as it was his duty to do so. The Rogue Trader then left Lune's mother on Holy Terra and tasked her with advancing his goals on the planet. Miri was born a year after that. A year later the Rogue Trader re-visited Cadia to tie up loose ends along with Lune's mother, and Lune was born a year after that, months after his mother arrived back on Holy Terra. When their parents died, it is also rumored that this rogue trader secretly protected the Crackham Siblings and claimed they were part of his crew. It is also said that he even made a deal with Alexius Kazanov to make the siblings appear on the Rogue Trader's crew to protect them from harm without their knowledge until that protection is no longer necessary. Early Life There are numerous sources about Lune Crackham's birth, but, none of these have been confirmed by Lune, so there is no saying what his exact time of birth is. However, it is estimated to be around late 41st Millenium, 30 years before the Kronus crusade, on Holy Terra. Born into a life of poverty, Lune was just a simple member in a hive city, always working. However, the plans fate set in motion for him were very different. He lived with his mother and Miri, his sister, who helped him anytime, in any situation. Since Lune was, and still is, an idealist and a great bookworm, he learned, learned and wanted to learn much more, even though a lot was lost in the sands of time. He cursed the laziness of the librarians anytime he had the chance for not protecting the memory of The Emperor. At the age of 18, he witnessed his mother fall over while working, and succumbing to a disease. Her last words were "make your father proud and do what he wanted to." Lune, cynical as always, thought it was an assassination, but what importance they could've possibly had? One month after the death of his mother, while thinking that, a friend of his father arrived, claiming that he worked with a rogue trader who considered the Crackham family as his greatest ally. The man left a note to him which was meant for his mother from his father. The note said "Love, I failed to find the artifact even the sands of time itself can't damage. I failed to secure the lost knowledge. My last lead suggested Cadia, my home, but there is only death here. Look after the kids, make sure they never set foot on this cursed place I call home.". The note was six years old, because the rogue trader he sent it along with, got captured by space pirates and managed to escape after a long time in prison to complete his mission. The note also included a coded location about the last lead his father discovered. Lune finally deciphered the code and found the coordinates which detailed an island on Cadia. After deciphering the code, Lune and Miri decided to set out in a journey to go to Cadia and find anything related to his father. On Cadia When the young Lune Crackham arrived on Cadia, the planet amazed him, however, he had no time to waste. He was no warrior, but his life on Holy Terra taught him the basics of fighting. So he, with the shotgun he brought along with him, which is an old family heirloom, decided to go there alone because he did not want to risk the life of his sister. When he managed to enter the Heretic Island, named after a cultist who found it, he found out that the island was abandoned and lacked any human life. Or so Lune thought. When he was ready to give up, to let go of all the things he faced and to think that they were a "joke", he heard a simple "click" down underneath his feet. Immediately understanding the danger, Lune jumped to the right, just before a combined bolter attack broke the hidden hatch he was standing on. Terrified, he looked below, only to find a single Space Marine, on the edge of death. He then dropped down into the tunnels and the marine recognized him. "You, you are his son! You must be!" he whispered. "You have to help my brothers in arms, help them protect what your father sought.". Confused, Lune only managed to ask "Who are you?". The answer of the marine made him feel terrified. "I am Alpharius.". Lune then rushed towards the sound of the bolter fire, finding himself in the middle of a frenzied battle inside a huge cave, between space marines. One side was shouting "Hydra Dominatus!" and the other "All Is Dust!". If Lune had not been a man who loved history and legends, he would've panicked. But he knew exactly what the Thousand Sons were after: The knowledge his father sought. He jumped straight into the ranks of the space marines assaulting and put the barrel of his gun to the head of the Rubricae closest to him. Not noticing his arrival, the marine fell down without saying even a single word, having lost his helmet. Lune then rushed to the marines defending a gate and took cover. The marines defending the gate did enjoy the sight: an outsider, sneaking into the ranks of their traitor brothers and taking down one. Lune was however, confused and asked the marine near him: "Do you serve chaos?". The marine laughed: "Do not confuse me with my traitor brethren outsider, we are nothing like those corrupt idealists who listen to xenos. We are pure and we are Alpharius!". A cry raged across the cave and the marines lashed out at the Thousand Sons. Lune killed 3 marines that day. An accomplishment he would never forget. Then, the marines looked closely to the outsider. One immediately noticed his face and shouted : "The son of Crackham is here!". All the marines ,consisting of 12 people, looked at him. Lune, happy to find a trace about his father, asked "Do you know my father? Where is he?" Their leader stepped forward: "Look kid, your father was a hero. He was the one who truly understood why Alpharius ordered us to guard this place and helped us on more than one occasion." "But where is he?" "He vanished. The Thousand Sons took him prisoner and left by opening a path into the warp. We failed to protect him, but we held this place, because he said to me that day, 6 years ago, that his last wish from us was to protect this place against anything they might throw at us, for one day, his children would come here. He said you are the key that can solve this.". "What is this place?" "The will of The Emperor. An artifact that predates Great Crusade itself and goes back into the dark age of technology.". Lune, after hearing this, immediately stepped forward through the opened gates and gazed upon the artifact before the marines could do anything. He did not knew what to do, but felt that this artifact was the key of finding his father. Lune, before even touching the artifact, felt a surge of energy enter his body and the doors were immediately closed by an unknown force. Then, in the ongoing 3 hours, what happened to him is unknown. However, It is said that he was gifted with an excessive amount of knowledge about mankind inside there, with the help of the artifact. When he walked out of that place he saw the marines had left but also left a note for him: "The wish of your father is complete. You can be the one who shall solve it all now. You need to fight. We shall observe and help.". Just after Lune picked up his shotgun, he saw the Hero-Commandant of The Crescent Elites, a title which will only be given to him, Alexius Kazanov. Alexius was at that time the leader of an elite unit only known as "Terran Rangers". He took Lune and Miri under his protection, after looking at what the boy did, even though he said about the space marines. To him, he was just a lucky brat who managed to kill a few traitors and touch things he was not supposed to do. However, that view would change after he, along with his newly conscripted soldiers and adopted children, were called back to Holy Terra immediately. Years Under The Terran Rangers The things Lune experienced and witnessed inside the artifact room, changed him. He became a more idealist person and started to act strangely. The young Crackham, after learning all those information, was committed to save the Imperium. Turn it to the road The Emperor of it paved. Upon arriving on holy Terra, he and Miri were immediately sent to the training grounds of the Terran Rangers. They spent a year there training. Lune quickly distinguished himself as a great soldier and a natural leader. Miri, however, hated to fight and in fact, wanted to heal those injured in battles. So, she became a medic and quickly turned into a really skilled one as well. Miri and Lune proved they were fast learners during their training and were granted the right to fight under the banner of the Terran Rangers, a year after the start of their training. Rangers were elite soldiers and secretive units, and because of that Lune learned the art of stealth and espionage in his countless missions. When Lune turned 24, he was amongst the most decorated soldiers in Terran Rangers. Lune's last mission with the Rangers happened on Hethgar Prime. An Ork band had laid waste to the area and was pushing into the edges of the planet. Dispatched under secret orders, Lune and Miri got separated from their comrades during an ambush by the Orks. They tried to outrun the Orks, but the Orks managed to pin them down. They fought the Orks for hours untill Lune fired his last bullet and the crackpot was useless because of being overheated. That was when he saw the very same marines that helped him 5 years ago. Together, they pushed the Orks back and quickly eliminated every single one of them surrounding Lune. Their leader again stepped forward: "I see you have grown, Crackham." "And I see you're still alive." "I am, thanks to my brothers in arms. However, time is short. We came here because our sources said that the forces of chaos are preparing for an assault on this planet and we have to eliminate their agents." "Then we have a common goal. Help us hold this place." "Sadly no, kid. The Imperium must not know about us. Not yet. However, when the time comes, we shall aid you. Just give the word." After this encounter, Lune and Miri made their way back to camp and continued the war against Orks. The fight ended in a year, 2 years before the Imperial Guard had planned, much to the Rangers' delight. Due to their successful counterattack, Alexius and the Rangers that survived the bloody battle in Hethgar Prime's capital, were called back to Terra. Or so they thought. After their return to Terra and fighting off an ambush that eliminated the survivors of Hethgar Prime crusade, Alexius was dispatched for an immediate meeting with Senatorum Imperialis. Lune, along with Miri, went with him. When they arrived, news shocked them: A combined assault by chaos forces had effectively wiped out the remaining Rangers. Their training grounds, along with all other outposts, were in flames. Within this chaos, Lune saw an opportunity to fix the crumbling state of The Imperium and then proposed Alexius to build a new regiment, based on new principles and recruitment plans. However, Alexius disagreed and asked how could they do that with no funds or plans. Lune, after that, said Alexius to follow him. Marines "from an unknown chapter", as promised, were waiting on the destroyed Terran Rangers camp, along with the long dead bodies of the traitorus Thousand Sons soldiers who wiped out the Terran Rangers. There, Alexius realized that Lune's story was correct from the beginning. Shocked, he understood that Lune can fix the state of Imperium and secure the interests of man. There, Lune, Miri, Alexius and the marines planned how to build a regiment that can influence the Imperium of Man and "fix the problems it has.". The upcoming result was the establishment of The Crescent Elites. Alexius, after all his contributions to The Crescent Elites, was named the first commander of it, a title that would change sooner than he thought. Then, Lune made everyone accept the term of only recruiting people hailed from Holy Terra, because of reasons Lune hid from all. At last, the marines took the cause to train the recruits and shape them for The Imperium. Thus The Crescent Elites were born. Nominally, they would replace Terran Rangers, however, Lune had bigger plans for them. They would be his secret force that he'll use to help the people of the Imperium, either by helping the citizenry or by exterminating those who would wish to harm them. Second In Command Lune was always a great leader, able to turn the tide even in the darkest situation on any fight or fighting simulator he was in. His ability to lead and inspire only increased after he was chosen to be the second in command of Alexius Kazanov. Lune Crackham, for the first time in his life, felt happy and satisfied. He had a rank, a rank to help those in need, was ready to complete the final will of his father, to help The Imperium and His sister was safe. A poor Terran boy, rising to the stars and turning into a grand soldier. "Truly an inspirational story" he said. Lune, along with Miri, travelled from planet to planet, bringing The Imperial rule upon many, punishing those who betray and hurt the civilians of The Imperium. His soldiers showed The Imperium how the real imperial Guard should be. He fought so hard during the establishment of The Crescent Elites that it impressed even the toughest space marines. It's even thought that he used every available type of weapon the Imperium used, from bolters to plasma cannons. He was a legend amongst his fellow soldiers when he turned 30. His sister also became a very skilled Medic, skilled enough to earn the title of "Lead Medic" of The Crescent Elites, whose name was recognized even in the edges of the known universe. She has been known to cure even the deadliest poison and heal the worst type of wounds. "The Killer Of Wounds" they called her. Her methods of "reverse engineering" any type of poison greatly helped the wounded of the regiment to rise and rush back to the enemy. Everything was working fine, the regiment was rising in influence and deployed to the most critical areas. Until "the accident" happened. The regiment was deployed on Kronus, a world controlled by the Tau Empire and beset by all types of xenos, from Orks to Eldar. This was problem enough for Senatorum Imperialis and they decided that the planet would be better under Imperial rule. So they sent The Crescent Elites to ensure that the Imperial Guard would establish a foothold on the planet without heavy casualties. Lune never knew that this would be a bloodbath for his men. He never thought. That's why, even at this time if he sleeps in his office, he can be heard waking up screaming and cursing himself. The mission to establish a foothold on Kronus began without problem, with shells from 3rd to 8th began infiltrating the humans living on Kronus with the help of the 9th shell, which was on recon missions days later the first plan to invade Kronus had been suggested (it should be noted that there was only 13 shells "built" when The Crescent Elites were deployed on Kronus). Later on these shells, through unknown ways, have managed to incite humans living on Kronus to a rebellion. Thus came the Imperial Guard and without a grand force to attack them, as the Tau were busy trying to find the operatives who incited their people into a rebellion, easily occupied the bay today known as Victory Bay. What ensured the death of all the shells on Kronus (only half of the 4th shell survived and left the sector with the second-in command Lune Crackham.) and the uncountable amount of Imperial Guard forces was the deployment of the Blood Ravens on the sector. Lune ordered his soldiers to disengage upon meeting a Blood Raven force. However, when only the Imperial Guard and the Blood Ravens were left on the planet, the end was inevitable: one side had to win this forsaken war. Lune, not known for being calm, easily lost his temper. He nearly begged chapter master Kyras to withdraw the forces on Kronus, but his desperate attempts failed every time. When the war was almost certain, Alexius did what Lune didn't dared to do: He openly pledged his aid to the Imperial Guard forces on Kronus, and secretly ordered all the shells in the planet to do recon missions on Blood Raven territory. Thus the way was set for another infighting within the Imperium Of Man. The fight dragged both Lune and Alexius to the front lines and they arrived on Kronus to aid their shells and help Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander to win the fight. Lune fought on many fronts during the war in Kronus and witnessed the destruction of entire shells, just to delay their retreat. Eventually, the marines pushed into Victory bay and a bloody war ensued after their initial retreat from the outskirts of Victory Bay. Lukas Alexander got seperated from Alexius and Lune upon the assault of Blood Ravens. Unable to form a straight defense line, the marines quickly surrounded and took many guards prisoner. Lune, outraged, jumped straight into the closest group of surrounded soldiers and rallied them into a landing zone. There, Alexius had secured a transport for them to secretly leave the planet while the marines where dealing with Lukas Alexander. Lune refused to back down and said: "I'm not letting those men die!" "They're already dead. Lukas Alexander himself is no more than a glorified politician. Will you risk YOUR life for his?" However, their talk was cut short when a squad of Blood Ravens saw them and opened fire. Alexius, unlike Lune, knew what he had to do. He, without a single word, kicked him into the transport and signalled the pilots. When the transport started to fly, Alexius opened his jammer to prevent the Blood Ravens from telling about the transport. There were 11 Blood Ravens, with their veteran sergeant leading them, facing Alexius. After around 30 minutes, he saw their veteran sergeant covered in blood, his left arm, 3 centimeters up his heart, shot with a bolter Alexius took from one of their own and efficiently fired. He had his greatest victory: He managed to eliminate all the 11 space marines and made sure Lune, along with other soldiers, survived. "Some veteran sergeant you turned out to be." "I'm bested, yet you are going down with me." "War is nothing about our survival. For us, it is to ensure the survival of people around us. It is to die if they are to live. That's why we officers are for: to protect those inexperienced and guide them, and that you have failed, because you go down with your comrades, while mine are still out there." A few seconds later, The Hero-Commandant of The Crescent Elites, Alexius Kazanov, gasped for one last time. He became a hero of not only The Crescent Elites but also Blood Ravens, a remarkable man who killed an entire squad of them, all alone with the only purpose of saving his friends. Acting Commander Lune Lune Crackham took the position of Alexius Kazanov, but not his title. He made many reforms in The Crescent Elites and conscripted the soldiers survived with him on Kronus. That is the only exception made within the line of recruitment of The Crescent Elites. He made sure to increase the number of shells out in the galaxy, in order to prevent another campaign like Kronus from happening. Also, to ensure the devotion of his soldiers to the Imperium, he invented the potion used to make "a final test", in order to help his soldiers straighten up, under the name "Redemption". There are no records about how Lune found the potion used in every Redemption and he also refuses to talk about it when asked. However, the outcome of it is seen in every soldier under his command, as they dedicate themselves solely to the Imperium of Man. Lune, after taking the command of The Crescent Elites, fought in various campaigns. First Aurelian Crusade During the First Aurelian Crusade, Lune Crackham tasked the 22nd shell with scouting the area and determining the seriousness of the Ork WAAAGH!. However, only one soldier returned from this simple task in a small ship which he had stolen from the Blood Ravens chapter. The brave soldier managed to tell Lune Crackham the grave threat that approached as he died in his hands. The Tyranids had attacked the 22nd shell and quickly exterminated them. Lune Crackham, alongside 10 shells, from the 1st to 11th, and Miri, who volunteered to examine the Tyranids, set out to Sub-Sector Aurelia to push the Hive Fleet back.The Crescent Elites arrived on the sub-sector on a critical time as the Tyranids started to assault Meridian, capital of the sub-sector. Lune deployed his forces on critical areas and on important supply lines to stop the enemy from seizing these key points. However, being inexperienced about the Tyranid menace, Lune's forces easily got decimated by the might of the hive fleet. Changing his tactics and adjusting them accordingly, Lune launched a full-scale guerilla war against the Tyranids. He also played an important role during the first siege of Angel Forge, by rallying the remaining Imperial Guard forces back into battle. Taking a dangerous risk, he held the Angel Gate on his own for almost an hour against the Ork forces until the Blood Ravens arrived. When the angels of death started to begin the extermination of their enemy, Lune was the first to join them. While he was fighting alongside Blood Ravens, Miri was examining the Tyranids. She reached the conclusion that the only way to destroy the Tyranids was to use a poison. When the Blood Ravens delivered the gene sample necessary, Miri Crackham utilized her skills and helped the Blood Ravens Apothecary Gordian in making the bio-toxin necessary. However, Lune Crackham was not present on the assault to the heart of the hive fleet, as he learned that the old planetary governor had gone into hiding because of the Tyranid menace. Waiting for the moment for the governor to be declared a traitor, Lune seized this chance and started a pursuit against the governor while leaving one of his closest allies, Sergeant Major Carl, to deal with the Tyranids. He later on dragged the governor back to Aurelia with his own hands and watched with satisfaction as Administrator Derosa seized control of the sector and got appointed as the new governor. Because of the The Crescent Elites' important aid, Blood Ravens gifted them an artifact of their past that was recovered on a bloody battle: Edge of Justice, the famous sword of Alexius Kazanov. Second Aurelian Crusade When Aurelia emerged from the warp and the forces of Chaos assaulted the Aurelian Sub-Sector, The Crescent Elites saw an opportunity to improve their influence in the Sub-Sector. Launching a secondary campaign, Lune Crackham took half the forces the Crescent Elites garrisoned his forces on Meridian to combat the heretics invading the planet. He personally prepared the defense plan. However, due to a fatal mistake in it, the enemy managed to destroy the right flank of the defense force and enormous casualties were sustained. Miri then presented a solution to fix the plan and the Imperial Guard in the planet managed to hold the Palace of the Governor under their control. Their losses were minimal at this point only because of the clever solution Miri presented. When the Blood Ravens arrived, however, the enemy successfully bypassed their defenses and assaulted the Palace. Lune and Miri decided to make a last stand and jumped straight into the middle of the conflict. They fought for hours, waiting for reinforcements. The armor Lune used was like a broken glass when he got stabbed by a Chaos Champion in the middle of the battle. After he killed the champion with a final attack and fell, almost a hundred heretic corpses were lying in the ground, all killed by him. Miri was there, however, and she was not going let her brother die so soon. The remaining shells made a daring push and successfully entered the palace. Miri ordered all the soldiers to stand guard as she treated Lune. When the drop pods started falling from the sky, Lune was still in a critical situation. They held the palace, however, Lune was still in coma when the fight ended. Miri took the remaining shells along with her and the Crackham siblings departed back to Holy Terra. The Crescent Elites lost almost a quarter of their entire force to the Second Aurelian Crusade and Lune spent 2 months in a room as a result of his injury. The result of the campaign is considered a stalemate. Third Aurelian Crusade ... Wargear *Spear of Order and Authority: The spear which is currently wielded by Acting Commander Lune Crackham, much to the disgust of the inquisition. The spear is said to be a singing spear that was acquired from a farseer that was defeated by Lune Crackham in planet Meridian when he, along with his sister Miri Crackham, rallied the Imperial Guard defending the palace of the governor and crushed the eldar forces assaulting it to assassinate the planetary governor. However, the Imperial Archives contain no such information about the spear and the origins of it remain known only to Lune Crackham. The spear is powered with psychic energy and according to Lune Crackham, only beings gifted with an enormous amount of knowledge can make it function properly, However, none can truly reveal all of the secrets it posses. It creates a huge impact that can even push wraithlords back if the blunt side of the weapon is smashed to the ground. Also, a crimson crystal shines brightly at the top of the spear and grants various abilities to the wielder, based upon the personality of that person. At the hands of the current owner of this spear, the sharp side of the spear can get ignited via unknown ways and burn the enemies of the wielder, if the wielder wills it. This crystal on top of the spear is also the only reason why the weapon can not be corrupted by the foul entities of the warp and it can be used by non-psykers. *The Crackpot: The personal shotgun of Lune Crackham. Thought to be a family heirloom, this shotgun has been heavily modified by Lune to fit his needs. The shotgun has a longer barrel compared to its counterparts and a small silencer that Lune added after the Kronus Campaign. The magazine hold is also adjusted to be compatible to a new type of magazine called "Crescent magazines" that are a heavily modified type of round magazines which allows the user to fire more shells, and reload faster. The weapon itself is semi automatic and has a flashlight in the lower side of the weapon. The gun uses normal shells but the weapon is powered by a generator in the lower side of the shotgun and as such, shells fired create an electricity field that can stun enemies for a short duration. *Lune's Battle Armor: The Battle Armor of Lune Crackham, which is crafted for him by Master of the Forge Sinan from Turquoise Protectors. The armor itself is similar to a scout marine armor, but it is less heavy and has more functions. There is a small vox caster inside the armor that enables Lune to command his soldiers. Also, there is a conversion field embedded at the backside of the armor that saved Lune's life on more than one occasion. The armor is damaged often as Lune is always in the middle of a war but thanks to the aid of a forge world called Muspelheim, the armor is repaired and improved every time it is damaged and Lune still wears it to display the pride of his regiment. *Frag Grenades *Krak Grenades Personality And Traits Even though a lively and a truthful soldier, Lune is also a cunning man, combining his wit with his short temper against his enemies. He embraced the idea of "Being a great ally to his allies, a grand enemy to his enemies" during his long and painful military career. However, Lune only acts mercilessly when he believes that his enemy is beyond his ability to save like the forces of chaos undivided. To him, every enemy is a potential ally, and every ally might become an enemy one day, with there being one exception. He truly is a great asset to his present day allies. He does his best to help them when needed and expects the same help when required. His lively and truthful attitude made his soldiers admire him and, as a result, he is a well respected warrior, among his soldiers and fellow commanders alike. This attitude has also made him an expert in the political games played on Holy Terra. His beliefs are perhaps the least known thing about Lune, as none except his closest ally truly knows what his religion and beliefs are. There are even whispers that he refuses the ascension of the Emperor into godhood, but none of these are confirmed. Lune Crackham is a skilled stealth specialist and a good agent. Being a man with a short temper, it is not known how Terran Rangers made an agent out of Lune. ... Trivia * Lune Crackham, through the authority of an unknown Rogue Trader, maintains an eldar "associate" for diplomatic and strategic purposes. Called The Renegade, almost nothing is known about this xeno rather than the fact that she fights alongside Lune Crackham and is used a secret operative in operations conducted against other xenos. Category:Imperial Characters